Operation Wormwood is a sensational murder mystery set in St. John’s, Newfoundland, and Operation Wormwood: The Reckoning is the shocking, adrenaline-fuelled finale, both written by bestselling author Helen C. Escott. Now, for the first time, you can own this crime-thriller duology for a special low price of $29.99! 

*This collector’s set is exclusive to the Flanker Press online store. Graphic for display purposes only* 

Book 1 - Operation Wormwood

An elderly man is carried into the emergency Department of the Health Sciences Centre setting off a chain of events that leaves doctors mystified. He is the first of many victims suffering from severe nosebleeds and excruciating pain. Dr. Luke Gillespie and Nurse Agatha Catania investigate the symptoms but are unable to diagnose them. The only thing they have in common is Sgt. Nicholas Myra, an investigator with the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary. Dr. Gillespie and Sgt. Myra join forces to solve this twisted mystery. The story takes a critical turn when Sister Pius, a nun from Mercy Convent, informs them about Wormwood: a disease she believes is created by God to kill perpetrators of the most heinous crimes. Wormwood becomes an international media storm when parish priest Father Peter Cooke holds a news conference on the steps of the Basilica of St. John the Baptist and announces that God has unleashed a plague upon the earth. Is God truly punishing these criminals, or is a serial killer targeting them? Dr. Gillespie and Sgt. Myra race to find answers, while the Roman Catholic hierarchy starts bringing people back to the Church in droves . . . by cashing in on what it claims to be a miracle. 

2019 - One of top 5 Finalists in Canada - Arthur Ellis Awards Shortlist for Excellence in Canadian Crime Writing - Best First Crime Novel 

Book 2 - Operation Wormwood: The Reckoning

Sgt. Nicholas Myra is back with a vengeance, and he is out for blood. Years of investigating horrific crimes have become too much, and Myra’s PTSD is intense and out of control. He can’t unsee the images that race through his dreams. Now as he investigates the biggest case of his career, he is in a constant state of fight-or-flight. The hunt continues for a serial killer who is targeting the most heinous of criminals, making them die a slow, painful death. Sgt. Myra partners with Dr. Luke Gillespie in a hunt to find a killer who is targeting criminals … who everyone wants dead. On the day of reckoning, everyone is called to account for their actions. Award-winning author Helen C. Escott, a former civilian member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, offers an exciting new voice in crime fiction and conducts a thorough investigation into why evil against the most vulnerable goes unpunished.